The Doctor and The Dead Man
by The Professor of Writing
Summary: When the Doctor sets the TARDIS to random, he doesn't expect to be held at gunpoint by a living skeleton. Set before and during LSODM for Skulduggery and between The Satan Pit and Love and Monsters for the Doctor and Rose. T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys**

**A few Notifications**

**This story is not my own, it was adopted from Lucifer's Nightmare (Thanks very much to you), but I was going to do a Skuldug/Who crossover anyway, and this one was going, so I thought, what the heck, and adopted it **

**THIS WILL BE WRITTEN LIKE THE HEROES OF OLYMPUS SERIES I.E. THE CHAPTERS WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN PEOPLES POV. I JUST LIKE THIS IDEA.**

**Many thanks**

**TPOW**

_Disclaimer: I own neither Doctor Who nor Skulduggery Pleasant. There will be a few OC's and many references to characters and series I also do not own._

CHAPTER ONE

ROSE

THE TARDIS

The tiny blue box flung through space, buffeted by solar winds and gravity wells. Inside this mysterious object, an impossible room glowed with a beautiful golden light, the tall glass column in the centre rising and falling in perfect unison with the _incredible_ sound of ancient engines. Impossible, because of its size, far outstripping the tiny blue box that read _Police Public Call Box_ above the door. Rose Tyler leant against the railings and stared at the softly glowing console. She was twenty years of age, born in London on the Powell Estate; her dad had died when she was just a baby, leaving her mum to care for her. She had shoulder length blonde hair, and light brown eyes. Today, she wore tracksuit trousers, and a hoodie, showing off her ample curves slightly. She grinned at the man in the suit dancing round the console. He was tall and skinny, handsome and funny, old yet young, he was The Doctor. He wore a brown and blue pinstriped suit with slightly battered sneakers. He ran his fingers through his already messy hair and looked at her with twinkling brown eyes.

"What?" he asked in response to her grin.

"Nothing," she replied, "where are we going exactly."

The Doctor was flicking some switches "Dunno, set The TARDIS to random, could end up anywhere. Or nowhere, which is only slightly impossible." He looked up again, grinning, "Isn't that _brilliant_?"

"_Slightly_ impossible?" she asked.

"Well, nothing's impossible, but…" he trailed off as, with a deafening heave of ancient engines, the TARDIS ground to a halt. "Shall we go take a look outside?"

ROARHAVEN IRELAND

Rose stepped out of the TARDIS and immediately froze

"Bloody hell!" she hollered, "Where on Earth are we?"

"Funnily enough," The Doctor muttered, "Earth."

"_What?_" she screeched, still shivering, "Of all the bloody places in the whole bloody universe, it chooses _Earth?_"

"Well no, it was actually completely random, we just happened upon Earth, but even so-"

"Well?" she interrupted, "Where on Earth _are _we."

"Hmpf."

"What?"

He paced about for about a minute and took out of his pocket a small silver instrument with a glowing blue tip from the inside of his pocket. He made sweeping gestures with it and put it up to his ear as if listening to something. Taking it away, frustrated, he slapped it muttering: "Come on, come on"

"Weird." He said after a few minutes, "Not getting any kind of reading from anything. I mean, we're in Ireland-not far from home for you" he added indicating Rose, "at least, galactically speaking, and that great big lake over there is called Lough Seirbigh, but I'm not getting any kind of records about a town here, but my Time Lord ESP is telling me that it's been here since before the Romans."

"Lough what now?"

"It means Lake Doom." Came a velvet voice from behind, "Tell me who you are, and you won't end up at the bottom of it."

**TRANSLATIONS**

**LOUGH SEIRBIGH= LOCK SEER-BIKH= ACTUALLY DOES MEAN LAKE DOOM-I THINK.**


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

ROSE

Rose turned, and almost cried out. There, holding a gun to the back of The Doctor's head stood a living, breathing (OK, maybe not) walking skeleton in a suit. The Doctor slowly swivelled round on the spot, the gun-not moving-ended up pointing exactly at his eyeball.

"Hello there," he said, adopting the Scottish accent he had used when they had visited Scotland in the mid Nineteenth Century, "Not to worry, just me, Doctor John Smith from the Agency of Inexplicable Places," he flashed the Psychic Paper at the skeleton, "Just passing through."

The gun didn't waver. "If I were you," the skeleton said with ice in his tone, "I would leave this town immediately. The locals do not take kindly to strangers, especially your kind of strangers."

Rose shivered. She knew that tone. It was the one The Doctor used when talking to the monsters. This skeleton reminded her of The Doctor when they first met. He was as tall as The Doctor, with a similar taste in clothes, just smarter. He wore a black and purple pinstriped suit with a pure navy blue tie. His shirt was impeccably white, and he had a black fedora style hat placed low over one eye, 30s style.

The Doctor however, did not find the newcomer intimidating. "Oh, no-one likes me when they first meet me-"

"I wonder why." The skeleton replied sarcastically.

"But then," The Doctor said, ignoring him, "they sit down, have a chat, then their head-over-heels in love with me. Now you sir, have a very fine bone structure."

The skeleton was put off guard. "Really? You know, you're the only person in a long time to have said that to me."

"Oh yes, nice cheekbones."

"Yeah, their almost new. I lost this head once, and had to win another one back in a poker game."

"Oh, don't tell me he's started off again about his bloody head."

Rose spun around to find the source of the new voice. It came from a young girl, about 17. She was tall, dark haired and eyed, and quite pretty. She wore a long black coat, tight trousers that Rose was almost to the envy of, and _really _nice boots. She came up and stood beside the skeleton. This begged the question;

"Doctor, I hate interrupting your bonding sessions, but who the hell are these two?"

"I was about to ask the same thing Rose. Who the hell are you two? And what do you mean by 'our kind of strangers'?"

"Your first question would require a lot of explaining, to which I have neither the time nor the patience for, as for the second question, the locals don't take kindly to mortals, like yourselves." The skeleton said.

"Ahh," murmured The Doctor, "Mortals, skeleton, funny readings. I wonder…"

"Wonder what?" the skeleton asked sharply.

"Hmm? Oh nothing." But the expression on his face told a different story.

"I suppose we'll have to take them up to The Sanctuary then Skulduggery?" said the girl, presumably addressing the skeleton. Rose almost laughed; the irony of being called Skulduggery and a living skeleton. Funny.

"Oh, alright then. But remember," He said to The Doctor and Rose, "I've got my eyes on you."

"Figuratively speaking, of course." Said The Doctor, unable to resist the skull joke.

"So," said Rose, falling into step with the girl, "where'd you fall in with a skeleton then?"

"The less you know the better. We can get a couple of Sensitives on you two, wipe your memories, and this whole thing will be a dream. It's best you mortals stay out of our affairs. It's for your own good."

Rose nodded, "So, if I have my mind wiped, it won't hurt for you to tell me some stuff, right?"

The girl frowned. "You're from London, aren't you?" not exactly answering Rose's question, but she nodded anyway, "My friend was from there." The girl explained, suddenly gaining a faraway expression, her eyes looking haunted for a second. It dawned on Rose that this girl must have lost someone close to her, possibly this friend she was talking about.

"So, what's your name" Rose said, bringing her out of her reverie.

"Val-"the girl began to say, "I mean Stephanie. What's yours?"

Rose frowned suspiciously. This girl had started to say something, and then changed it. That had to be important. She decided not to tell the whole truth. "My name's Jackie."

The girl-Stephanie-smiled. "Nice to meet you Jackie. Now, we should be arriving at the Sanctuary about now."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

VALKYRIE

Valkyrie looked at the young woman standing beside her, looking at the dilapidated Sanctuary with her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised sceptically.

"No offence, but it doesn't really look like much." Said the woman. Jackie, she had said her name was. Valkyrie was pretty sure that wasn't her actual name, but well, she wasn't exactly one to talk on honesty about names. Once upon a time she was Stephanie Edgely, regular schoolgirl. Then, one day, her uncle Gordon was murdered, and she was pulled in-or rather pestered her way around until everyone got used to her being there-to a secret society of magic and sorcery. That was six years ago. Now, barely a month from her eighteenth birthday, she was a powerful and competent sorcerer in her own right, harnessing elemental magic and Necromancy. She also had an evil alter-ego named Darquesse, a sorcerer destined to destroy the world, but that was a secret. She was mystified by the two newcomers. Jackie seemed normal, but that Smith guy… Valkyrie thought she knew weird when she talked to Skulduggery, but that guy, he was just a whole new level.

"Yeah, that's the Sanctuary. Kind of our government-slash-headquarters."

"Right."

Valkyrie wanted to like Jackie, she really did. She just reminded Valkyrie too much of Tanith-blonde, attractive, Londoner. She was everything Tanith was, just a mortal version. That pained Valkyrie. Three years previously, Tanith had been possessed by an evil spirit-a Remnant. It had grafted itself onto her soul and would never come free without killing Tanith. Now, Tanith was just a shadow of her former self; cold, beautiful and deadly.

Skulduggery walked up to the Cleaver at the door and showed him his pass. The Cleaver nodded, and let him through.

"Who is that?" Doctor Smith asked.

"A Cleaver," Skulduggery said, "Security guards, law enforcers and army rolled into one, highly trained, highly deadly man or woman. They tend to be male due to the Emotional Inhibiting program-" he didn't get any further as Smith spun on his heel angrily, looking Skulduggery right in the eye sockets, something Valkyrie had only seen Kenspeckle do

"WHAT?" he shouted, "You people _brainwashed_ these poor souls into being your-your _thugs._ Your flying monkeys? I knew humans were low, but this," he indicated the motionless Cleaver, "this is a whole new level."

He suddenly seemed to tower over everyone and everything. For the second time that day, Valkyrie felt as if this man was the most powerful presence in existence. His anger right there made her want to curl up and never move again. It was like-like Skulduggery. No. It was more terrifying. It was like a Faceless One.

"Just when I thought I had even and INKLING of respect for you, you blow it away like it was NOTHING. I could bring down this entire SOCIETY with a wave of my hand, and you would be POWERLESS to stop me. The only reason you are still here, on this tiny SPCECK of a world is because of MY MERCY!"

There was silence for an entire minute before Jackie had the courage to speak.

"Doctor?" she hazarded.

"Not now Rose, not now. No human has ANYTHING to say to me today. Not anymore."

Valkyrie felt a small glow of satisfaction at learning Rose's actual name, but pushed it down with shame.

_You shouldn't feel ashamed, you know._

Valkyrie stiffened. That voice. She thought she would never have to hear it again. But there it was, the tantalising voice of Darquesse, sitting at the back of her mind, trying to tempt her into becoming the World Breaker.

After another minute of silence, Skulduggery spoke up quietly.

"I know it's wrong, Doctor Smith. If I was calling the shots I would-I would try to find another way. Cleaver service is voluntary, but that still doesn't make it right. It's the best thing we've got."

Smith looked at Skulduggery long and hard, his frown eventually giving way to a neutral expression, then a vague smile. "Who are you?" he asked in wonderment.

"I suppose it's time to be honest with you two." Skulduggery replied, after a few seconds deliberation, "My name is Skulduggery Pleasant, Official Detective of The Irish Sanctuary, Leader of The Dead Men and many time saviour of the world. This is my partner Valkyrie Cain."

"Wow thanks." Muttered Valkyrie sarcastically.

"Very nice to meet you, I reckon we should be honest too," Smith said, "I am the Doctor, just the Doctor, Knight of the British Empire, The Oncoming Storm and General of The High Army of Gallifrey. This is Dame Rose Tyler of the Powell Estate, though not formally I might add, and well, I reckon I've figured out what's going on here."

Valkyrie looked sceptically at the 'Doctor', "How do you mean?"

"Well, I mean, you might as well just have held up a big sparkly sign proclaiming it the way you went around hiding it." The Doctor said, "I mean, come on; living skeleton, your analysis of me and Rose as "mortals" and, not to mention of course, the massive great, telepathic barriers around this town to keep everyone out. We probably got here by accident. Which is entirely possible I'm doing that all the time nowadays, but still. I figured it out ages ago. You're sorcerers, right?"

Skulduggery cocked his head. "Well done Doctor. But how-how did you figure it out?"

"Well, aside from the fact that if I look closely I can see that there's a shell of consciousness surrounding your body, my people helped bring "magic" to this world. Actually it's not even magic, really, it's just higher cranial capabilities, just a little spark at the top of the cerebral cortex." The Doctor explained, grinning.

Skulduggery looked at him, then Rose, then Valkyrie, then back at the Doctor. "We need to take you to visit the Council of Elders." He said finally. "They'll want to hear about this."

"Excellent." The Doctor said, his earlier outburst forgotten, "Take me to your Council"

**Whoa that was a long chapter. Sorry for the wait everyone. Next chapter up soon. Also, the Doctor's title "General of the High Army of Gallifrey will be used in my **_**Gallifrey Chronicles**_** series when I do the Time War. See you soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

VALKYRIE

Skulduggery and Valkyrie led the Doctor and Rose to the Council Chamber after gaining admittance to the die-hard rule-maker Tipstaff, the Sanctuary's Administrator. Inside the elaborate Council Chamber the Three Elders of the Council sat upon thrones. Ghastly Bespoke was tall and bald. His head was covered in symmetrical ridged scars that were a result of when he was cursed at birth. He was originally a tailor by trade, but knew how to handle himself as his mother was-supposedly-one of the best boxers the world had ever seen. Legend had it that her right hook could take of a head. Legend also said that it had once. On the other side was Madame Mist, a tall, imposing, veiled woman, dressed in white. Valkyrie had the distinct impression that she was beautiful or at least beautiful once, but wanted to seep into mystery. On the central throne was Grand Mage Erskine Ravel, a tall, handsome man with black hair and light eyes. It was said that he was a bit of a ladies man in his youth, but his recent duties as an Elder had stopped him from having that much spare time anymore.

The Doctor bounded forward. "Hello," he said, dropping the Scots accent "I'm the Doctor, this is Rose and I'm sure you're familiar with Skulduggery and Valkyrie here right?"

"You should address The Council by their proper titles, else I shall have to remove you." Squeaked Tipstaff.

"Right." The Doctor nodded, "I shall do that. So your Majestic Holinesses, how shouldst I serve you todayeth?" he looked back at Rose, "I speak _brilliant_ old English."

Erskine gave a faint smile, "Tipstaff, it doesn't matter."

"Go and get us a cup of tea." Added Ghastly.

"What is your business here, and why do you trouble us?" asked Madame Mist, always business-like.

"Well, I didn't mean to be here, my TARDIS just set to random-" The Doctor began, but was cut off.

"TARDIS?" asked Erskine

"My Time Machine," explained the Doctor, "stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, you'll never find it; you don't know what it looks like or where I parked it. Anyway, there are more pressing matters at hand.

Skulduggery tells me you are magic, but actually it's not magic you use it is in fact the utilisation of certain parts of the brain which humans-or mortals as you call them-cannot use. You are all in fact the remnants of an ancient species from the Dawn of Time. Nearly ten thousand years ago, a race of beings came to this world. They were almost as old as the Universe itself and were very powerful."

Erskine sighed wearily, "We already know about the Faceless Ones Doctor, tell us something useful."

The Doctor nodded, "Well, Skulduggery tells me that these 'Faceless Ones' are known as Dark Gods by some of your people. They actually came from another dimension almost exactly the same as this one, just some stuff didn't happen, like the intervention of your ancestors. In some cultures your 'Faceless Ones' are called The Old Ones. Cultures such as the one on Gallifrey, my world."

Ghastly opened his mouth to interrupt, but Mist got there first; "_Your _world? What do you mean?"

The Doctor smiled faintly, "I'm not actually human, so you can't call me mortal either. I'm one of a race of extremely old and powerful beings known as the Time Lords-"

Skulduggery snorted, "Bit presumptuous."

The Doctor shot him a look, "When we discovered the Old Ones had broken into our Universe, we set about trying to stop them. We joined forces with two other equally powerful races, The Eternals and the Koth-Nor, the latter translates as The Ancients." This was met by a gasp from the assembled sorcerers. Valkyrie knew about the Ancients. After all, she was descended from the last of them. "I'm sure you all know the story of The Alliance," the Doctor carried on, "I know for a fact it is well documented in the future, so I assume that you know about it know. As to where your magic came from, the fallout from the great battles contained Artron Energy, the same thing the TARDIS uses to power itself. Artron Energy transmorfigates those around it in unimaginable ways, so I assume that any humans caught in the fallout received 'magic' from this fallout."

Erskine stood, "What you are suggesting Doctor rocks the pillars of our society. Many sorcerers will simply not accept this, as many believe that we are above the mortals. You have come at a bad time anyway; we are preparing for war against a group of Sanctuaries that feel that we cannot fend for ourselves and think that they must swoop in and save the day."

Ghastly took over; "I'm sorry Doctor, Rose, but this is a grave emergency. You may not be mortal, but it is still dangerous for you and her here. There are chambers we can give you for a few nights, but after that it will be too dangerous."

The Doctor nodded, "Of course Your Grace. I just need to sort out a few things on my ship, and then we must be on our way."

"Tipstaff will show you to your quarters."

The Doctor nodded again, and strode off in front of Tipstaff. Rose glanced at Valkyrie for a second, and then walked after them.

After they had gone, Erskine looked gravely at Skulduggery. "How did they get here?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know why they are here?"

"No."

"Brilliant." Sighed Erskine. "We need you for surveillance on the Witches, to see if they know about the recent Warlock activity. Valkyrie stay here as backup, the Monster Hunters will be here shortly."

"Monster Hunters?"

"Donegan Bane and Gracious O'Callahan. They go around the world hunting monsters." Skulduggery supplied.

Valkyrie arched a sarcastic eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes. Anyway, I presume this is urgent? If so I must as soon as I can. I'll leave tomorrow afternoon." Said Skulduggery, completely missing the sarcasm.

And with that, their audience with the Council was over.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

THE DOCTOR

The Doctor ambled into the room, now behind Tipstaff, closely followed by Rose.

"These will be your quarters until you are required to leave." Stated Tipstaff in a boring, monotonous voice.

"Right-o." said The Doctor loudly. He took off his pinstriped jacket and flung it over the chair, exposing his white shirt and crooked tie. He grinned down at Tipstaff. "S'okay, I think we can find the toilet, should we need it, cheers Tipstaff."

With that, he bundled the startled Administrator out of the cramped, dirty room.

"So" Said Rose.

"Yeah." Said The Doctor awkwardly.

"Does the TARDIS need repairing?"

"Nah, just wanted to get a look at a few of these fellas here." The Time Lord replied, inspecting the walls. He stuck out his tongue and licked the wall, pulling it away instantly, as if there was a bad taste. Rose, for her part, blanched.

"Oh, please!" she exclaimed, "Do you have to be so disgusting?"

"No." came the reply. Then, more to himself than his companion; "This wall is old. Very old. But the furniture is newer. That means this place was built a long _long_ time before these people got here."

"Unless they redecorated."

"No, no, no, there's something else…" he murmured. He crouched down and peered at the mouldy floorboards. A knock on the door startled him. He leapt up suddenly, like a naughty schoolboy caught in the cookie jar.

Rose went over and opened the door. She looked surprised to see the Elder, Madame Mist.

Madame Mist looked at The Doctor as he blushed violently. "My my," she said quietly, "what have we here? The alien and his mortal…plaything." Rose could almost _feel_ the disgust in Mist's voice. The Doctor's face darkened automatically.

"Oh, upset the balance have I?" chuckled Mist, "I do apologize. Just a word of warning _Doctor_-if that really is your name-don't think you can swan in and cause your usual havoc. Oh I forgot to mention," She said, looking at The Doctor's stunned face, "I know all about you and all your little gang of mortal soldiers. Going about, thinking you own the place. Well not here Time Lord. Not in _my_ Sanctuary."

"I was under the impression that Erskine was Grand Mage in this Sanctuary." Replied The Doctor, "Anyway, I'll do as I please thank you. Now, if that's alright with you I'm going to have a look round this place. Investigation of new people etc." He started to move out of the room

"You will stay here as instructed."

The Doctor turned to her, fire dancing in his eyes. "You don't order me about Mist." He said. No anger in his voice, just authority. "Now, I'm going to have a look round and if you guys are doing something I don't like…" he let the words hang in the air for a moment.

Mist looked up at him "What'll you do?" she asked coldly.

"I'll put a stop to it." And with that he swept out of the room, picking up his jacket as he went. Rose looked meekly for a second at the stock still figure of Madame Mist, and then ran after him.

XXXXX

"You don't have to scare all of them you know." Said Rose when she caught up with him.

"I know." He said looking down at her as he walked. "I know Rose. Sometimes I just get carried away. I just hate it when people think others are inferior, you know that."

"Yeah." The walked in silence for a few minutes. Soon they rounded a corner and found a door.

"What d'ya reckon?" he asked, the glint back in his eye, cocking his eyebrow, "Worth a look?"

She didn't need to answer. The Doctor strode forwards and thrust the door open. They walked into a hospital type place. The Doctor took a look round at the empty beds. "Medical wing." He muttered.

"I could have figured that for myself, thanks." Replied Rose.

He looked up at her, grinning. "Of course."

Suddenly, a tall, insect-like creature walked in. It was about nine feet tall, spindly like a stick insect, its long legs and arms going on forever. The Doctor looked up at its face. Yellow eyes with slit-like pupils, no nose and the crude evidence of a mouth sewn shut, that had been pried open.

"And to think I thought you were skinny." Muttered Rose to The Doctor.

"OI!" he said in mild indignation. "'Ello, I'm The Doctor" he said to the creature.

"Me too." Answered the creature. Its voice was strangely high pitched.

"Ah, well, you would be _a_ doctor, where as I am _The_ Doctor, _The _being the definite article, wouldn't you say?" The Doctor grinned. "And by the look of you, I would say, Crenga?"

"Indeed. I am one of the last of my kind. I assume you mortals know nothing of what that feels."

"I-I-I'm not mortal…" The Doctor trailed of despairingly as the creature turned away. Skulduggery walked in.

"Doctor." He said curtly.

"Hmm?" said both the creature and the Time Lord.

"I meant Nye." Replied Skulduggery, "The Sanctuary Doctor."

"Oh, right yeah." Said The Doctor.

"Right Nye, I'll be gone for a few days, so that means if Valkyrie comes in here and needs stitching up you make sure you do it exactly as you are supposed to do. Understand? No trying to experiment on her or anything."

He turned and walked away.

"Pleasure meeting you Nye," said The Doctor, "but we really must be going." He sped off after Skulduggery.

"Skulduggery. Hey, Skulduggery." The Doctor called, "hey, we're just leaving, but if you need me, here's my card." He handed Skulduggery a slip of paper. "I really must take Rose home for a visit to her mum, but you know, call if you need my help. I'd really like to find out something about you people."

Skulduggery scrutinized the piece of paper, before folding it away. "Fine."

The Doctor beamed. "Come on Rose, we're leaving." Skulduggery walked back to The TARDIS with them. "You'll like this bit." Said The Doctor, grinning at Skulduggery.

With that, he unlocked the door, stepped inside, Rose following behind. The door shut with a creak. Skulduggery stood outside with his arms folded. The Doctor laughed at the skeleton's cocked head, curious as to what they would do inside a small, wooden box. The Doctor hit the dematerialisation engager, and The TARDIS whirled to life. As the box faded away, Skulduggery's arms fell to his sides, his jawbone hanging open. The Doctor laughed again, turning to the next adventure…


	6. Chapter 6

_Ha-ha!_

_Bet you all thought the story was over didn't you! Yes, The Doctor sailed off in The TARDIS with Rose and all was well. But was it?_

_Remember, we left our heroes Valkyrie and Skulduggery at a crossroads: War or Peace._

_Our tale of mystery and adventure resumes some time after the last part ended. War has been declared. The Sanctuaries have been thrust into a bloody conflict that only one man can bring them back out of. Just Who is this mysterious saviour? Find out, in the following chapters…_

_**Takes place between The Day of The Doctor and The End of Time for The Doctor. Also, I'm ditching the switching point of view every chapter, it doesn't suit my writing style. Cheers!**_

CHAPTER SIX

There they all were. The Dead Men, together again, after all these years. Now with Valkyrie joining their ranks. Skulduggery could not have been happier. However, he felt like someone was missing. He turned back to listen to Erskine giving the brief. "We're gonna need all the help we can get fellas." The Grand Mage said.

Skulduggery stood. "I can help with that." And suddenly he knew who was missing. "I need to make a call." He strode out of the room, withdrawing a small white card with a black diagonal stripe and a seal marked with a gold "D"

ELSEWHERE

The Doctor paced The TARDIS control room. He was alone. All alone. Rose was gone, trapped in a parallel universe, a copy of him to keep her company. Martha, gone too. Gone to join the Army she so loved. And Donna. Brilliant, funny, _wonderful_ Donna. Gone, with nothing to remember him by. He was going to die. It wasn't _fair_. He'd gone to Elizabethan England to tie up a few loose ends, spent two years with his wife, but…

He couldn't keep away from the Ood-Sphere for long. Ood Sigma had summoned him. Nothing could change his mind now. He would go.

The phone rang. Startled, the Time Lord leapt up.

"Hello?"

"Doctor?" came a velvety Irish-accented voice from down the line. "You told me to give you a call if you needed anything. This is it."

"I-I can't Skulduggery. I'm so sorry."

"War has broken out, and we need all the help we can get."

"I don't fight wars anymore. I'm sorry." He hung up the call

He stood for a few minutes, staring at the console, lost in thought. Suddenly, he sprang into action, flipping controls, dancing around the time machine. 'I have a better idea than a call' he thought 'I suppose I'll have to tell him myself.'

IRELAND

Skulduggery looked at the phone in his hand. He looked again at the display in case he was hallucinating. It still read _Call Ended_. The Doctor had left them. In the two weeks since The Doctor had left, Skulduggery had done extensive research. He knew this behaviour was weird from The Time Lord to say the least. Just as Skulduggery was preparing to go back and tell the others that help was staying away, he heard a familiar sound. A wheezing, groaning sound that he had heard only once in all his over 400 years of experience. He turned and saw a big blue box appear out of nothing. Oh, if he still had a face.

"Doctor!" he called. The door opened slowly, and The Doctor walked out. Hands in pockets, wearing exactly the same brown-and-blue suit. God, did he _ever_ change? He also wore a long brown duster-style coat, reaching to his mid-calf. His mood seemed deflated, he possessed none of the energy he had had two weeks ago.

"Doctor?" Skulduggery asked. "Are you OK?"

The Doctor looked at him with his deep brown eyes, showing so much sorrow. No, more than that. _Greif._ The Doctor looked at him the same way Skulduggery would have looked at everyone else. Skulduggery truly understood, just for a second, what it was like to be The Time Lord. "What happened? Where's-"

"Gone." The Time Lord's voice was hoarse and full of that same sorrow that filled his eyes. "I lost her."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. Why did you call me here?"

Skulduggery sighed. "War has started. We were attacked by the Sanctuaries of the Supreme Council. We need all the help we can get. We need The Doctor."

"I can't. I'm so sorry, but I can't. I have to go. There's a prophecy that I'm going to die, and it's got to be fulfilled soon. I can't fight your war. That's not who I am anymore." He turned and began to walk back to The TARDIS

Then, Skulduggery got angry. "What, you're running away? After all the places you've helped, all those lives you've saved, you're just going to walk away now? How?"

The Doctor faced him again. "People have travelled with me, helped me throughout my life, and I've helped me. So many of them. So why isn't The TARDIS full? They're gone Skulduggery. They're all gone."

"What happened to them?"

The Doctor looked at him with something new burning beneath his eyes. Shame. "Some left. Some got left behind. And some died. Lots died. I can't let that happen to anyone else. In all my time saving the Universe there's something very important I've learnt recently. There. Are. Consequences. No one else will die because of me. No one." He turned and entered The TARDIS, the door creaking as it swung shut. Then, there was the wheezing noise again, but not from The Doctor's machine. Another Police Box faded into existence. The Doctor came sprinting out, his apathy long forgotten. He looked at the new TARDIS.

"What?"

The door opened and a man stepped out.

"_What?_"

The man looked over at the confused Doctor.

"You are going to stay here and help. Cos that's what _I_ remember."

"_**What?**_"


End file.
